Sworn English translator
A sworn translator in Spain is a professional appointed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAEC) to sign official translations between English and Spanish that carry full legal validity before Spanish authorities. At ElbaTrad, English is signed by our in-house translator, officially appointed by the MAEC — we do not outsource it. We work in both directions and confirm the delivery date in writing in the quote, as a digitally signed PDF and on paper.
Fixed quote, no obligation · Last updated: August 2026
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Sworn translation from English into Spanish and from Spanish into English
The direction of the translation determines who must sign it and what the receiving authority will require. These are the two scenarios:
English into Spanish
Documents issued in the UK, the United States, Ireland, Canada or Australia that you need to file with Spanish authorities: immigration, Civil Registry, universities, notaries or courts. Here it is essential that a MAEC-appointed sworn translator signs the translation — a certified translation done abroad is not enough.
Spanish into English
Spanish documents you need to submit abroad: visa applications, university admissions, professional bodies, banks or company registries. The Spanish sworn translation, bearing the MAEC signature and stamp, is accepted in virtually every English-speaking country, usually together with the apostille.
How official translation works in English-speaking countries
This is the misunderstanding that causes the most trouble: the figure of the sworn translator does not exist everywhere. Knowing what each country requires saves you from doing the work twice.
The MAEC appoints Sworn Translator-Interpreters after an official examination and publishes a register listing each one’s appointment number. Only their signature and stamp give a translation legal validity before the Spanish administration.
Traductor juradoThere is no sworn translator figure. What is used is a certified translation, accompanied by a statement of truth from the translator or agency. For more formal matters, an affidavit sworn before a Commissioner for Oaths or a notary public is added. Many bodies require the translator to be a member of the ITI or the CIOL.
Certified translationNo sworn translators either. A signed certification by the translator — the Certificate of Accuracy — declaring their competence and the fidelity of the translation is sufficient. USCIS requires it for immigration files, and many institutions ask for the translator to be ATA-certified.
Certificate of AccuracyWhat this means in practice. If your English document is going to be filed in Spain, a certified translation produced in London or New York will not do: the Spanish administration requires a MAEC-appointed translator’s signature. The other way round is easier — our Spanish sworn translation, with its official signature and stamp, is routinely accepted in the UK, the US and Ireland. If you are asked for something different, tell us before ordering and we will confirm what you actually need.
How much does a sworn English translation cost?
We do not publish fixed rates, because the real price depends on three things. This is how we work it out:
We do not charge by page but by the text a page contains. A British birth certificate and a four-page academic transcript are not quoted the same way, even though both are “one document”.
English is the language pair with the most sworn translators appointed in Spain, so it is usually among the most affordable. Translating into English and into Spanish costs roughly the same.
A certificate with fixed fields is not the same as a judgment or a notarial deed, where every term carries legal effect. And if there is a deadline, the urgent service has its own surcharge — always agreed before we start.
A fixed quote before we start. Send us the document through the quotation form and we will tell you the exact price and the delivery date in writing, with no obligation. That price does not change afterwards. And if you have several documents for the same procedure, we group them into a single order at a better total price.
¿Prefiere leerlo en español? Traductor jurado de inglés
Does the translation always have to be sworn?
No. Paying for a sworn translation when nobody requires one is wasted money; submitting a plain one when it is required costs weeks. The rule is simple:
When the document goes into an official file
Any document that is added to a file: immigration, Civil Registry, Spanish universities, notaries, courts, banks or consulates. The same goes for anything supporting a visa application or a university admission abroad. If a civil servant or a notary is going to file the paper, it needs a sworn translation.
When you only need to understand or communicate
Internal contracts, commercial correspondence, websites, catalogues, manuals or marketing material. A plain professional translation is enough there, and it is faster and cheaper. We offer that service too: if you are not sure what will be required, ask us before ordering.
What makes a sworn translation valid
It is not enough for a sworn translator to sign it: the translation must meet these formal requirements or the authority will reject it.
The six requirements, one by one
- A complete translation. All the text in the original, including figures, marginal notes and handwritten annotations. Nothing is summarised or left out.
- No conversions. Units of measurement, currencies and date formats stay exactly as they appear in the original: converting them would alter the document.
- Stamps and signatures described. Every stamp, signature, seal or visible mark is described in square brackets, stating what it is and what it says.
- The translator’s certification. The official wording in which the sworn translator declares that the translation is faithful and complete is added at the end.
- A stamped copy of the original. The translation is accompanied by a copy of the source document, stamped and dated by the translator.
- Signature and stamp on every page. Not just the last one: each page carries the signature and the stamp with the appointment number.
How to order your sworn English translation
The whole process is remote. You keep the original document at all times.
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Send us the document
A PDF scan or a sharp photo through the quotation form, by email or on WhatsApp, stating the direction of the translation and the procedure it is for.
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Receive a fixed quote
A fixed price per document and a deadline in writing, with no obligation. If you have several documents for the same procedure, we group them into a single order.
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Your translation, on the agreed date
You receive it as a digitally signed PDF — valid for filing with electronic government platforms — and, if you need it on paper, by courier or for collection in Adeje, Seville or Malaga.
The documents we translate most often in English
After years working this language pair, these are the three groups we see most:
University degrees, academic transcripts, course syllabuses and grade certificates for admissions in the UK, Ireland or the United States — and the other way round, to have foreign studies recognised in Spain.
Birth and marriage certificates, criminal record certificates, passports and family record books. These are the backbone of any residence or nationality file.
Contracts, articles of incorporation, powers of attorney, annual accounts and company documentation moving between Spanish and Anglo-Saxon companies.
English is signed in-house. Many agencies outsource English to external freelancers. At ElbaTrad, sworn English translations are signed by our in-house translator, appointed by the MAEC. That means direct control over deadlines, consistent terminology across documents in the same file, and an identifiable person behind every signature.
Frequently asked questions about sworn English translation
How much does a sworn English translation cost?
It depends on the actual length of the document and its complexity: a birth certificate and a full academic transcript are not quoted the same way. English is the language pair with the most appointed translators in Spain, so it is usually among the most affordable. Send us the document and you will receive a fixed, free quote before deciding.
Is a UK or US certified translation valid in Spain?
As a general rule, no. The Spanish administration requires the translation to be signed and stamped by a MAEC-appointed translator. A British or American certified translation is valid in its own country, but here it is usually rejected. If you already have one done abroad, send it to us and we will tell you whether it will be accepted or whether it needs redoing.
Is a Spanish sworn translation accepted in the UK or the US?
Yes, in the vast majority of cases. The Spanish sworn translation carries an official signature, stamp and appointment number, and is routinely accepted by universities, consulates and Anglo-Saxon authorities, usually alongside the apostille. The occasional body also asks for an affidavit before a Commissioner for Oaths: check first and we will prepare it.
Do I need an apostille before translating?
If the document is Spanish and going abroad, or comes from abroad to be filed here, usually yes. And the order matters: the document is apostilled first and translated afterwards, so that the apostille is translated too. The UK and the US are parties to the Hague Convention, so the apostille is the standard route between those countries and Spain.
Do I need a sworn translation of my degree to work in the UK or Ireland?
It depends on who is asking. A private employer will usually accept a copy and, at most, a plain translation. Professional bodies — healthcare, engineering, law, teaching — and universities do require an official translation of the degree and the transcript, almost always with an apostille. Check the exact requirement first and we will prepare only what you need.
Do you also translate documents from Ireland, Canada or Australia?
Yes. A sworn translator’s appointment covers a language, not a country: the same signature works for a British, Irish, American, Canadian or Australian document. What changes is the legalisation step beforehand, which depends on the issuing country. Tell us where the document comes from and we will confirm whether it needs an apostille or consular legalisation.
How long does a sworn English translation take?
We confirm the exact delivery date in writing in the quote, before you commit to anything. One-page documents are often ready sooner. If you have a consular appointment, a university enrolment deadline or a signing at a notary’s office, tell us: we offer an urgent service and confirm the deadline in writing.
Can I send a photo of the document or does it have to be scanned?
A photo is fine, as long as stamps, signatures and dates are clearly legible and the full page is visible. A PDF scan is preferable because it avoids glare and cropping, but it is not compulsory: you keep the original at all times.